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Google buys security startup Impermium

Google is about to receive a boost in how it tackles spam, fraud, and web abuse after picking up a startup specialising in such areas.
Written by Michael Lee, Contributor

Google's acquisition steamroller rolls on, this time with the tech giant adding security startup Impermium to its portfolio.

Impermium focuses on controlling spam and eliminating fraud and web abuse online. After Thursday, however, it will be doing this for Google.

In a statement, CEO and co-founder Mark Risher said that its abilities would be improved through the acquisition.

"By joining Google, our team will merge with some of the best abuse fighters in the world. With our combined talents, we'll be able to further our mission and help make the internet a safer place. We're excited about the possibilities."

Google has not disclosed the value of the acquisition.

Risher helped co-found the business in 2011, quickly picking up $1 million in seed funding from Accel Partners, AOL Ventures, Archimedes Capital, Charles River Ventures, Embarcadero Ventures, Freestyle Capital, Greylock Discovery Fund and Morado Ventures, according to TechCrunch.

In the same year, it raised $8 million in a Series A round led by Highland Capital Partners and supported by Freestyle Capital (which also contributed to the seed round) and Social+Capital Partnership.

Impermium thanked all of its investors in its statement, except, oddly, Embarcadero Ventures. The statement replaces Impermium's usual site, and the company has closed off its blog and Twitter account.

The news comes shortly after Google's purchase of Nest for $3.2 billion.

The Nest acquisition saw Google gain 100 ex-Apple employees, but also had an unintended consequence for Nestor Inc's stocks on the NASDAQ. Shortly after the announcement, Nestor's stock soared about 20 times in value. The only similarity it has with Nest is its stock symbol: NEST.

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